Punjab: Unions angry as government eyes key power corporation assets
Punjab: Electrical engineers and other employees are angry over the Punjab government’s recent move to appoint non-technical individuals above chief engineers. This move was taken to pave the way for the “smooth” sale and lease of assets worth hundreds of crores of rupees belonging to the cash-strapped Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL). However, the government claims that only “idle” assets will be used and the funds will remain with PSPCL. Sources say that as soon as news spread that the chief engineers will now report to two recently posted non-technical individuals in the two districts of Ludhiana and Mohali, various unions decided to protest the move. A joint meeting of PSPCL/PSTCL unions was also held, attended by leaders from the PSEB Engineers Association, PSEB Joint Forum, Junior Engineers Association, Technical Services Association, Technical Services Association (Sangharsh Morcha), Junior Engineers Council, Ministerial Services Association, PSEB Employees Union (AITUC), and various other organizations.
A top PSPCL official who attended the meeting said, “If the Punjab government and PSPCL/PSTCL management take any action that damages the department’s assets and properties, including appointing non-technical personnel above the Chief Engineer level in the name of ‘Mission Zero Outage,’ protests and a complete strike will be held without prior notice.” He further said, “If the government faces a shortage of funds due to its own mistakes, the power corporation’s assets cannot be misused to compensate.” The associations and unions discussed the government and management’s move to sell or lease the department’s valuable land and assets. Another official involved in the matter said, “Prime properties located in major circles of Punjab like Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Mohali, etc., where our power houses, offices, stores are located, and some vacant land that could be used for the department’s future development, may be sold as these are worth crores of rupees.” He added, “The proposed action could jeopardize the very existence of PSPCL/PSTCL and the employees will oppose it with full force.
Furthermore, PSPCL management is planning to use the existing PSPCL Guest House in Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana, after the government has renovated it, for its own personal interests.” Punjab Power Minister Sanjeev Arora stated that the idle properties will be sold and the proceeds will go solely to PSPCL/PSTCL. He said, “There is no point in maintaining idle properties, and therefore it is better to sell them and put them to use.” Regarding the posting of non-technical personnel above Chief Engineers to oversee power outage schedules, the Minister stated that he would examine the details. Meanwhile, various unions demanded that due to the severe staff shortage at PSPCL/PSTCL, department employees and officers are facing numerous difficulties in providing timely public services. They demanded that the government and management recruit the necessary staff to provide better facilities to the public, rather than selling departmental land and weakening the department by appointing non-technical personnel above Chief Engineers.
